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Tom Fears

End

Inducted 1976

Date of Birth

12/3

Birthplace

Guadalajara, Mexico

Schools

University of California, Los Angeles (1946-1947)

Santa Clara University (1942-1942)

Bio

Tom Fears was a two-way end who helped UCLA to national prominence during the post World War II era. Fears spent his 1942 sophomore season playing for Santa Clara. While with the 7-2 Broncos, Fears helped Santa Clara defeat three Pacific Coast Conference schools. During that 1942 season, Fears won All-Pacific Coast honors before joining the Air Force. After the war, Tom followed his brother Charles to UCLA. During his 1946 junior season, UCLA went through the regular season undefeated, as the nation's fourth-ranked team. The Bruins were an exciting team that on occasion ran a "triple pass" play (forward pass, lateral, lateral), Case to Baldwin to Fears to Clements. In his senior season, Fears was named the Bruins' Most Valuable Player. When he turned professional with the Los Angeles Rams in 1948, he was thought to be primarily just a defensive specialist. He quickly proved the experts wrong by leading the league in receiving his first three seasons. He later coached professionally and became a member of both the College and Professional Halls of Fame.